Rubidgea is a genus of gorgonopsian from the upper Permian of South Africa and Tanzania, containing the species Rubidgea atrox.[1][2] The generic name Rubidgea is sometimes believed to be derived from the surname of renowned Karoo paleontologist, Professor Bruce Rubidge, who has contributed to much of the research conducted on therapsids of the Karoo Basin. However, this generic name was actually erected in honor of Rubidge's paternal grandfather, Sidney Rubidge, who was a renowned fossil hunter. Its species name atrox is derived from Latin, meaning “fierce, savage, terrible”. Rubidgea is part of the gorgonopsian subfamily Rubidgeinae, a derived group of large-bodied gorgonopsians restricted to the Late Permian (Lopingian). The subfamily Rubidgeinae first appeared in the Tropidostoma Assemblage Zone. They reached their highest diversity in the Cistecephalus and Daptocephalus assemblage zones of the Beaufort Group in South Africa.[3][4][5]
^Rubidge, Bruce S.; Sidor, Christian A. (2001). "Evolutionary Patterns Among Permo-Triassic Therapsids". Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. 32 (1): 449–480. doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.32.081501.114113.
^Lingham-Soliar, Theagarten (2014). "Mammal-Like Reptiles". In Lingham-Soliar, Theagarten (ed.). The Vertebrate Integument Volume 1: Origin and Evolution. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 193–219. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-53748-6_8. ISBN9783642537486.
^Viglietti, P.A.; Smith, R.M.; Angielczyk, K.D.; Kammerer, C.F.; Fröbisch, J.; Rubidge, B.S. (January 2016). "The Daptocephalus Assemblage Zone (Lopingian), South Africa: a proposed biostratigraphy based on a new compilation of stratigraphic ranges". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 113: 153–164. Bibcode:2016JAfES.113..153V. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2015.10.011.